THE ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1272, 30 October 1911, Page 5

THE ELECTIONS.

WELLINGTON SUBURBS. MR, W. H. D. BELL AT PAHAUTANUI Mr. W. H. D. Bell, Opposition candidate for the Wellington Suburbs aisd Country seat, addressed a very largr meeting of electors at Fahautanui on Saturday evening. Councillor W. Galloway was in tho clioir. Tho oaJididato suggested that tho electors should usk themselves whether tho management ol', tho country under the present Administration was satisfactory. Tho Government prolcsswl to bo encouraging land .settlement, it professed to liavo at heart (he settlement of the labour problem, it professed a dosiro to manage tho railways tor the benefit of the people ,and it professed to practise economy, All t'ho-.jo aims wore proper ones, but had the present Government oarricd Uiein into effect? lie showed what stops tho Reform party would take to accomplish tho.-o aims. Tho candidate pointed out that tho present Government lmd been in power too long. He likened it to a crop of wheat which had been 60wu veal' after year in the same ground, ana ho argued tliat not only had tho crop become poorer year b.v year, but tho soil had become sour, and needed stimulating by rotating tlio crops and planting tho Reform party. The candidate contended that but for tho assistance of political favouritism tlie present Government would years ago have been ousted. He nia<U the abolition of political jobborytho main plank of his platform. Tho candidate was, on tho motion of Mr. W. X. Stace, seconded by Mr. C. Carter, accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. Mr. Bell, when ho m-:e to return thn-nka, was received with clicers. PALMERSTON. SPEECH BY ME. W. THOMSON. Mr. William Thomson, Independent Opposition candidate lor l'lumorssion, addressed a meeting at the Municipal Hall, Peiiiicrston, on Friday evening. Senior Councillor E. .1. Armstrong presided. The candidate made a spirited attack on tlie Government, and he combated tho reports spread tnrougiiout .New Zealand that, if tlie Upposnwn camo into power, ttiey Iliad 110 one eajmblo of being Premier. Mr. Massey was tjuiii capable, and would give tliem a much lx-tter Government lhau they lixwl at present, lto would support lur. Massey, if returned, not serviisiy, but independently, and would do all lie could to keep him in power. What they wanted was men who would read every Bill, and consider every measure for liiemselves. One of hia reasons for wishing to turn out Sir Joseph Want was that he was not true, in a political sense, even to his friends. Ho had been a friend of tho Hons. Chas. Mills's and of 'J'. Y. Duncan's, but, directly ho bccamc Prtmier, he asked them, to resign because somo agitators 111 tho country had -said that they wero not tha 1 men tor their positions. Mi. Seddon was alwavs true to his political friends, and, had "ho lived, Messrs. Mills and Dmiraii would never liave been turned out. Vtould Messrs. Laurenson, Russell, , Poole, Ell or Hogan say anything to displcaso the Government, and thus minimise their chance of Ministerial preferment? I hey wanted independent men instead of this tyie to whom Sir Joseph Word was a demi-god. In Wellington they had tliree newspapers—the "Times," IIIE Douisios. and "Post." Tlio "Times' and Post supported tlio Government, and, though Tim Domikion had a bigger circulation than the "Times," the Government refused its advertisements to The Dominion* simply because it was independent. Why did they not pool t'ho money between Uift three? Because there was a lno'iil haired and resentment of the paper that criticised them. *'\Yo have got sometmng like that in Palmerston North, the candidate addod, "though not in connection with the newsnapcrs. Tho report going round tho town is that, if wo support the Government, wo may pet a new railway station and a dairy school, but that has been said to you before, and becauso you had the independence to return an Opposition member, you didiit get them. Tlio whole thing is on insult to tke manhood of Paluierslon North. Mr.lhomBon objected to certain matters 111 cannection with appointments to tho magistracy, to a Dreadnought being presented without Parliament being called together, ami to tlio Imperial Conference proposals not being first discussed ill Parliament before tho Premier and Attorney-General went to London. Sir Joseph Ward could do anything with tho constitution if ho could do theso things, becauso the membcrs followed liini liko blind mice. Under Sir Joseph Ward's administration, Parliamentary institutions wero decaying, and they should hasten to put some bettor administration in its place, as Sir Joseph Ward and liis Government wero the greatest enemies of democracy 111 A ew, ZeaThere was only one question—ro a bachelor tax—and, after a considerable pause, the chairman asked if someone would pi'O' pose a vote of thanks. Ultimately, Mr. Nairn, at a suggestion, from the platform, moved a vote of thanks. Ho gave, as one of his for putting out tho Government, that.no information could bo riot as to the flotation of' loans, though members tried lor it year after year. rpi.„_ Tho motion was carried, and Mr. Thornson intimated that ho would probably speak again next week. MASTERTON. Air A. H. Herbert, Opposition candidate,' lias just concluded 11 tour of tho Alfredton and Pongaroa districts. lh« Candida to is being well receiud 111 Ml parts of l' l ® electorate, particularly to 111 Masterton. This scat has been looked on for many years as a safe one.for Ml. Hogg and the Government. 1 his is undoubtedly changed now. fhoi'o la a iema.rkab'o revulsion of feeling in favoni of Reform, and Mr. Herberts supporters are very confident. With a second Opposition candidate in the field a « second ballot is a certainty in am case. All e.inalgniation of Opposition forces should, ensure a win for Reform. dunedin north, It was rumoured in political circka vestcrdav that there was some probability of the "UOll. Mr. Paul contesting tlio Duiiedin North seat as a Labour dato a."ain:t Mr. G. M. Thomson tho sitting "member. Mr. Barclay, it is' Stated, will retire from tho contest. Mr. la il has' left for the south, and he will piobaliiy give his answer to tlie Labour Committee ou Tuesday next. awarua. TnE PREMIER'S OPPONENT. ir,. ,r, ]{. Hamilton, Reform candidate for the Awarua district, which is now represented by Sir („ be making headway. The \\ mlou. Record" states that at Ins meeting ill tint place last Thursday, a large eiowd of elcelors was present, and the candidal received a splendid hearing, and ,vis accorded at the close a h«irt\ vote of thanks and confidence, followed by three chews. TEMUKA. (Ay Xnletrraph.—l'rcss Association.) Timaru, October 28. Air G. W. Armitage, one of tlio Oppo< silioii candidates for Temuka, after speak, in" a few places up country, gave his address at Temuka 011 Inday night. Jla hail a very favourable reception. TIMARU. Timaru, October 28. Mr. R. Gould, Socialist camydatc for Timaru, gave liis fir-st addrcw last nitfliL Ho was not taken very seriously. POLLING DAY. It is thought that tho elections will tako placo about December 7 or 8. In connection with Dr. Newman's candidature, Mrs. Newman invites the Indies of Rosoneath to meet her at the schoolroom this afternoon at 3.50 o'clock. Mr. liyron Brown will address (ho Olsiki electors in the schoolhousc, Waihoanga, (o-inorrow evening at S o'clock. Mr. John llrodic, the lndc]>endent Liberal candidate, will the in SI. Mark's Schoolroom, Sussex Square, to-night. . This evening Mr. J. P: Luke, M.l. lor Ilia Wellington Suburbs and Country Electorate, will address tho electors in the Church Hall, Maranui, commencing at 8 o'clock. Mr. 11. D. Bell, tlio Opposition candidate for tlio Wellington Suburbs urn! Country electorate seat, will address the doctors' in the Assembly llall, Johnsonvjilo, this evening,